Peruvian solar observatory, Thai forest join UNESCO heritage list

Peru’s 2,300-year-old Chankillo observatory, Thailand’s vast Kaeng Krachan forest and China’s ancient port of Quanzhou listed by UN heritage body.

A 2,300-year-old solar observatory in Peru, a national park in Thailand near the border with Myanmar and an ancient Chinese trade centre that includes a historic mosque, are among the latest sites that have been added to the UNESCO list of the world’s most culturally significant places. Peru’s Chankillo observatory, which was built before the rise of the Inca empire, was declared a World Heritage site on Tuesday, while Thailand’s vast Kaeng Krachan forest complex and China’s ancient port of Quanzhou were added on Sunday alongside several other cultural and natural sites around the world. The Chankillo observatory allowed for remarkably accurate astronomical observations, according to recent studies.